We really can’t get anything good. It became clear. We’re not going to look at the Second Amendment discussion here. I’ll leave these hilarious discussions on the op-ed page. That’s all I know. When violence infiltrates the athletic department, I take it personally. If you’re a sports fan, you should.
If you’re a sports fan of a certain age, you probably know that some of the most glorious moments in your life have never happened at an actual sporting event – even if your team is lucky enough to have tickets to the game. Even if you care about winning a championship. No, what was better than that was the joint rally and parade that would take place a few days later to make it official.
In New York, for most champions since 1969, that meant climbing the Canyon of the Heroes, the path north from Battery Park to City Hall Park. Anyone who lived and died for the ’69 Mets probably ended up there. The same goes for each of the seven championships the Yankees have won since 1977.
On June 17, 1994, a glorious day full of sunshine and cheers, the Rangers celebrated their first Cup victory in 54 years with what seemed like every living New Yorker who ever cheered for the team. Then, on February 7, 2012, the Giants made their historic trip to begin a two-state, two-venue celebration of their victory in Super Bowl 46.
That was exactly 12 years ago.
But by the standards of our world’s changes, it happened in another time, in another time, in another solar system. We were not immune to the evils of the world. Mind you, there’s no better reminder of the dark heart that dwells in some people’s hearts than the holes throughout and forever in Lower Manhattan. We have never experienced this before. It’s like what happened this week in Kansas City.
Maybe we were just lucky.
Or maybe the world was different even 12 years ago. After all, as bad as Wednesday’s shooting in Kansas City was, it was the third parade this year to be destroyed by gunfire. In June, gunfire injured 10 Nuggets fans in Denver as they gathered to celebrate the team’s first NBA championship. And in November, as Rangers fans were celebrating Texas’ first World Series victory, shots were fired into the air during an altercation in the parking lot that resulted in two people being arrested, although no one was injured.
This will inevitably add up. Kansas City is still planning a St. Patrick’s Day parade. But what has been said a lot in the last few days since Wednesday’s tragedy is that no city in the future will be able to reduce the potential by requiring so many people to gather in such an enclosed space at such short notice. The public question is whether we can take such risks.
“We have to think twice about having these parades,” former Boston Police Chief Bill Evans told The Associated Press. “Nothing good will happen if so many people gather in the same place.”
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, whose city has hosted three Super Bowl parades and one World Series celebration since 2015, also hinted that things might need to change.
“If we were lucky enough to win the Super Bowl again, would we do it again? Or would we all say, ‘Let’s go to Arrowhead Stadium?’ Walk through the metal detector. Hold a very safe and much smaller event,” he told local television station KMBC.
You’re saying: That’s not going to happen here. That can’t happen here.But that’s never the case because have It happened here. And the sad truth was realized this week in Kansas City. It doesn’t matter how perfect your record is in this matter (and KC also had huge celebrations for the Chiefs in 1970 and the Royals in 1985, which is a no-no in Rookie Frontier Sports Town) , you only need it once. And that changes things.
We’ve been craving another championship here for years now. One of the big reasons for that is that we have the best place in the world to properly celebrate such things. After all, Canyon has not only celebrated sports champions, but also Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, Dwight Eisenhower and Winston Churchill, John Glenn and Neil Armstrong, and many others. is. It’s been too long since we gathered there. Could we do it again?
Vac’s Wax”
It was so cool to see Caitlin Clark hit the 40-foot record on Thursday. Just as amazing as that same night, Lauryn Taylor of Division II Francis Marion (daughter of the late Villanova Wildcat Rodney) grabbed an NCAA record 44 rebounds in a win against North Greenville. was. 44!
Who is very quietly playing the best basketball this year at the most appropriate time? The Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
And speaking of sneaky hoops, did you know that the Fairfield women’s basketball team is 21-1 and ranked No. 27 in the AP poll this week? Keep an eye on star freshman Megan Andersen.
seriously? Blake Snell is still around, but won’t the Yankees or Mets be interested? Really?
hit back vac
Sam T: Spring training has started and Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell aren’t signed yet, so what do you think?
vacuum: For that matter, why aren’t the Yankees and Mets still playing, even though both teams are missing at least an arm or two?
Jay Cummings: Over/Under What would you bet on 364.5 in the All-Star Game? That damn .5 always disappoints me. Suitable for children to observe their defensive skills.
vacuum: I look at defense in all sports this way. Everyone wants to improve their defense in games until they know what defense looks like. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent the last 40 years of my basketball career without anyone guarding me.
@MJBJAX0723: St. John’s is like Elvis Patterson: Cheers.
@Mike Vac: Patterson hasn’t been with the Giants since 1987 and has been retired since 1993, but this reference is still funny.
Roland Chapdelaine: The Mets’ dominant offseason brings to mind the legendary Dick Young’s great words from the spring of 1979. They will finish in 5th place. ”
vacuum: The Mets could use Taveras. He should still be able to steal bases at age 74.
